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Nara Lore
History For most of history, the Nara clan dwelled within the vast expanse of Forest Country that sprawled across the centre of the main continent. Their clan formed long after the war between Men and Beasts, and together with the Senju, they attempted to absolve for the actions of their forefathers. Peacefully, they tended to the forest and turned to the Kodama faith to direct their way of life, and it did not go unnoticed. After the death of the two brothers, the Nara and Senju were approached by a Beast that presented itself as a companion of the great Raishimaru. The Beast bestowed a gift to each group that would aid them to preserve the forest which Raishimaru had called home. The Nara were sworn to protect it by day with the power to extend their shadows like splintering branches, capable of halting any that would harm their lands. They were honoured for the ability that Raishimaru had passed onto them, for he had already become a deity within their faith. Receiving this gift, they felt like their atonement was complete and their commitment to the faith acknowledged. Although they formerly lived in conjunction, the Nara clan eventually grew jealous of the Senju. Their woodland neighbours had been offered a reward which they believed to be even greater than their own. Like a disease, envy took hold of the clan and brought a wedge between the two. Even though their powers were expected to be used as a defensive measure, the Nara could not defy the growing power in the world and gradually began to push the limits of their Kekkei Genkai. They closed themselves off from the Senju and fell deeper into faith, as they attempted comprehending why they had been punished compared to their neighbours. The Senju tried to repair the relationship, but it merely pushed the Nara further away, and over two centuries the clans were separated by a boundary line set by the shadow-dwellers. Residing in the north of Forest Country, while the Senju kept to the south, it was only when the Kodama faith was under threat that the Nara rejoined their neighbours once again. The rise of the Seikatsu faith across the world went largely unnoticed by the Nara. Kodama remained the primary religion of Forest Country, and its teachings offered no reason for most of its followers to feel threatened by another cult, but the same could not be said for Seikatsu. Its followers were more vocal in their beliefs and were encouraged to spread the faith far and wide. It seemed their goal was to make it the one legitimate religion of the world, but it could not infiltrate Forest Country so easily. Despite their differences, the Senju and Nara shared faith and a temple, which was not a grand stone structure like those being built in the name of Seikatsu. For the two the forest itself was sacred. When the sudden arson attacks began spreading throughout Forest Country, it contained an immense surprise for all. Seikatsu radicals were invading the country in a desperate attempt to suffocate the Kodama. Most were travelling into the Nara’s land through Balance Country and, knowing the Hyuuga exercised a considerable influence on the Seikatsu faith, the Nara pleaded them to help put an end to the attacks. The Hyuuga took deep offence to this, claiming the Nara were accusing them of being involved in the attacks and quickly cut off contact, which allowed Seikatsu’s followers to span their borders into the forest. Out of desperation, the Nara approached the Senju, who reluctantly agreed to secure all borders of their lands and halt all trade routes. Both wished for peace with their neighbour, and the burden of the forest remained a priority they shared in common. A formidable wall was erected around Forest Country with both clans patrolling its heights. This led to the eventual seclusion for nearly a century and, as a result, their society hardly developed in this time, but it did allow for both clans to grow closer. When the Senju met the Uchiha clan, their relationship with the Nara was strained once again. For generations, Forest Country did not see any external influences but a few Kodama monks, who had gained the trust of the clans and were allowed to come worship. Thus, bringing a clan with a reputation as infamous as the Uchiha’s into their sacred land was met with a much-anticipated disturbance. The Senju became so preoccupied with their recent guests that they stopped maintaining the walls they had long ago established. The Nara believed them to not be upholding their duty to their faith, and once again cut themselves off from their ancient companions. Alas, a deeper problem grew closer to home. The Nara clan had historically operated without a leader, but after the Seikatsu attacks, a man named Kuro rose as a native leader to his people. He had saved a considerable group from the forest fires and, in turn, lost his wife, choosing the greater good of the clan and their faith over his happiness. The Nara believed the essence of Kodama ran through his veins and decreed that his flesh and blood would rule over them eternally. But such delicate matters were certain to ultimately bring uneasiness among the clan members, and as the Uchiha began to settle with the Senju, the Nara approached the edge of a civil war. This came to fruition during the reign of King Eda, who was on the crossroad of choosing an heir at the brink of his life. He had two children, a son and a daughter, Shika and Mejika. It was expected that the eldest would take over to rule the clan, but the son was notoriously lazy, ignoring his duty to the forest and the traditions. Alternatively, Mejika was considerably similar to her father, upholding the clan’s ideals better than her brother. And as the inevitable choice was made, Shika attempted to assassinate his sister in the reckless pursuit of power, oblivious to his behaviour. His plan, however, was foiled and he was apprehended. King Eda was so vexed, he sentenced his son to death, but Mejika protested. Despite the attempt on her life, she still cherished her brother and sought her father to instead exile him from the country. She knew Shika did not fit the ideals of the clan, but she did not desire to sentence him to death. The King reluctantly agreed, allowing this to be Mejika’s first act as Queen of the Nara. Shika left with ten of his loyal comrades who believed he remained the rightful heir, as they crossed the western border into Earth Country. Eda died abruptly after this. His heart, unable to forgive his son, devastated him. Mejika was an adored Queen. She loved her people and wanted them to prosper, but her approach to the Kodama faith was different from her father’s. During her reign, the Senju had submitted a substantial portion of their land to the Uchiha, who had changed beyond recognition in the time that the Nara experienced their troubles. The Queen was pleased to see the bond between the two clans, for it provided her with the hope that the Nara could too extend their hand to other nations, whilst still preserving their way of life. She rekindled the clan’s relationship with the Senju and allowed the Arumaze to pass through her lands. In due course, she began tearing down the walls that had closed off their lands for so long, in the hope that they could overcome their differences with the Hyuuga. She extended the primary route through the north of Forest Country, which allowed the Akimichi to exchange goods with the Nara. Frequently inviting them into the forest to share generous meals, Mejika grew close with their leader. It seemed that the Nara were entering a new age, but the Queen’s fundamental act of mercy was about to come back to haunt her. After his exile, Shika had sought out the Kaguya, having gathered stories of the terrifying warriors that were fuelled by strength and hunger for power. Extending them a plan, he offered a mutually beneficial prospect that would represent the start of the great Alliance. The Kaguya had never managed to conquer lands outside of the Badlands before and were only accustomed to fighting on lands they identified, which placed them at a disadvantage. But Shika was to alter that with his knowledge of Forest Country. He knew where every settlement and road were, fulfilling the role of the eyes that the Kaguya needed to set off on their conquest. The bone-wielders would agree to place Shika as King of the Nara if their occupation was successful, cutting a portion of Forest Country off for him to rule in exchange for his help. However, they demanded their initial focus was to defeat the Senju, who represented a larger clan and dwelled across most of the country. Shika reluctantly agreed, assured that he would gain revenge on his sister, and quietly the Kaguya mobilised with the Nara Prince and his followers, bringing the Shirogane into their Alliance. As the Kaguya Alliance began to march on Forest Country from Wind Country through the south, Shika directed the Kaguya chiefs on where to hit the Senju first. Without hesitation, the aggressors began setting the forest ablaze, and as the smoke rose it alerted its dwellers and dispatched them straight to their death. Many of the Senju were slain before they realised they were part of an unravelling war effort. Those that survived the initial attack quickly retreated deep into the forest, hiding from the invaders and sending messages to the Nara of what was happening, pleading for urgent help. Mejika received the messages whilst hosting several Hyuuga elders to talk over a trade deal between the two clans. The Queen tried to explain the visit should be postponed and in haste, she ordered the Nara to head south to find out what was going on. However, the Hyuuga stepped in, offering their Byakugan to distinguish whatever was going on without risking any lives. Thankful, the Queen agreed and remained with her people and the guests were sent deep into the forest. After a day, they returned with news of a massive attack on the Senju. The Hyuuga told the Nara that most of their neighbour’s lands were destroyed and they had found no survivors. Mejika was shocked, quick to make plans to deliver her people south to see if they could salvage any survivors. But the Hyuuga were insistent that the Kaguya Alliance was marching north and it would be best for the Nara to stay in their own territory, where they could defend themselves better. The elders advised the Queen that the Hyuuga would defend them, placing themselves between the hammer and the anvil as a substantial barrier, to show their clan was sincere in their affection for the Nara and the future of their partnership. Mejika was reluctant, as she had no idea what state the rest of the country was in or how serious the situation was, but even her counsel advised her to prioritise the safety of her people. She agreed and allowed the Hyuuga to set up a barricade across the northern tip of Forest Country. The Nara were squeezed into an extremely minute portion of their lands, and relied on their defenders to bring supplies into the area, as most of their farming land was in the centre of the country. However, the Queen had been tricked. The Hyuuga had not been in the Nara’s land by chance on the week of the invasion. They had entered the Kaguya Alliance without an invitation and suggested that the invasion would be considerably more successful if they did not take on both the Nara and Senju. Therefore, the clan weaved a plan to hinder the former from entering the war. They exaggerated the advance that the Kaguya had achieved in their initial invasion, and then trapped the Nara in northern Forest Country under the guise that they were supporting them. The Queen believed it for a long time until the Akimichi came to her aid. As the Great War tore across the boundless expanse of Forest Country, the Nara were ignorant of what was going on. The Hyuuga provided limited information and did well to settle any suspicions that the clan had. But when a group of Akimichi were stopped from joining the fight against the Kaguya, suspicions rose. A brief battle ensued, as the Hyuuga fought to prevent the party from entering the forest, but ultimately lost. When they identified what was happening, the Akimichi had discovered the truth of the Hyuuga and attempted to dispatch missives back to the Nara clan and even their own, but they were intercepted. Manoeuvring their advances south through the warzone to Moon Country, they sought support from the Uchiha, but the Senju Alliance did not want to confront the Hyuuga. Regardless of their motives, most of the wounded soldiers were being treated in Balance Country by the Arumaze, so any aggression towards the natives could risk the lives of their own. The Uchiha did provide a private ship for the Akimichi group, and the Uzumaki escorted them North across the Eastern sea. There was no certain passage for the Akimichi through Herb Country or Hive, which were filled with friends of the Hyuuga, so they snuck through the mountains of Lightning Country and across the Northern Sea. Their travels lasted 3 years, but they managed to return to Restaurant Country safely, even though by then the Nara Clan was unrecognisable. The Hyuuga, citing a world shortage of food as a result of the war, had stopped most of the supplies from reaching the northern territory, which brought the Nara to the brink of starvation. Many of them had died, and those that were still alive were incredibly vulnerable. The Akimichi group presented the truth of the war to their leaders, who at first were reluctant to help the foreigners because it’d place the lives of their own people at risk. But the party persisted, stating that if they did not protect the Nara, they were no better than the Hyuuga that imprisoned them. And once the former were wiped out, the Kaguya Alliance would come for Restaurant Country. The Akimichi voted and decided to protect Mejika and her clan. Moving their people south, they delivered the truth to the Queen and together they tried to defeat the Hyuuga. Regrettably, the Nara were weak, and the Akimichi were unsuited for fighting in the impenetrable forests. They tried escaping through Earth Country but were confronted by the Kaguya, and when they tried to escape by the Northern Sea, none of the coastal countries would allow them to dock. Mejika died seeking to secure her people's safety and produced no heir. Leaderless, the Nara clan truly relied on the Akimichi. For the duration of the war, the latter implemented what they could to tend to their new-found allies, knowing there would be no help from the Senju Alliance until the conclusion of the war. They too grew feeble, as their supplies ran low, but they swore to stay by the Nara’s side. A promise that has survived to the present day. Ultimately, the Kaguya Alliance lost the war without the Nara ever spending a day in battle. Shika had been presumed dead for some years, so no attempt was committed to destroying the clan. A new leader was elected, and the effort to rebuild the clan started. Most of Forest Country had been burnt to the ground during the war, which meant there was no home left for the Nara to return to. Everything that was left was the Northern Territory that they had been cooped up in throughout the war. The Senju Alliance had control of the destroyed land and delivered it to a prominent family that had supported their war efforts economically, which caused outrage. The land had belonged to both the Senju and the Nara and now the latter possessed no claim to it and no power to protest. As compensation, the Senju allowed the Nara to remain in what was left of Forest Country, whilst they settled in the late Fire Country. To establish some stability in the region and to repair the conflict between the Hyuuga, Nara and Akimichi, the Hyuuga gave a long straight of their land to Restaurant Country, which established a buffer zone between Balance Country and the new Forest County. This piece of land was eventually welcomed by the Akimichi, as a representation for their continuing promise to protect the Nara clan, which has maintained an enduring relationship amongst the two ever since. The Nara did not join either of the two villages as they began growing. The Sand Village was too strongly affiliated with those who had sought to end the clan, and the Leaf Village was led by an alliance which abandoned the Nara during the war. Only with the opening of the Village Hidden in the Rain did they enter a vaster congregation, hoping for a renewed life and another chapter to their history. In the present day, it's not uncommon to find Nara dwelling in any of the shinobi villages, as time healed the wounds of many and they could not deny the improved way of life that came from living in both Sand and Leaf. Category:Lore